Guests say
Portside in Carbis Bay is highly praised for its stunning sea views, ideal location, and high standard of accommodation. Guests consistently mention the property's cleanliness, comfort, and the added luxury of a hot tub. The proximity to St Ives and local amenities, along with the convenience of nearby transport links, are frequently appreciated. While most experiences are positive, a few guests noted issues with maintenance and cleanliness in some areas.
The majority of guests found Portside to be spotless and well-maintained, contributing to a pleasant stay. However, a few reviews mentioned concerns with specific cleanliness issues, such as stained bedding and outdoor furniture, which slightly impacted the overall impression.
The location of Portside is consistently celebrated for its beautiful sea views, easy access to beaches, and the convenience of the nearby train station for trips to St Ives. The property's position is considered ideal by guests for both relaxation and exploring the local area.
Guests frequently comment on the comfortable beds and the spaciousness of the property, which contributed to an enjoyable and relaxing holiday experience. The living areas and bedrooms are noted for their comfort, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the stay.
Facilities at Portside, including the hot tub and kitchen equipment, are generally praised for their quality. However, some guests reported maintenance issues, such as problems with the hot tub and outdoor furniture, which suggests room for improvement in this area.
While guests have expressed satisfaction with the overall experience at Portside, there is insufficient information in the reviews to determine the level of thoughtfulness in terms of gifts or special touches provided by the hosts. Therefore, a score cannot be accurately assigned.
About this property
Sipping a glass of wine watching the mesmerising Cornish light change over the glistening sea from this luxury escape is truly magical. Just a short stroll from the beach, cliff path walks and a scenic railway, this reverse level semi-detached villa has elevated views across Carbis Bay. Sleeping five in three comfortable rooms, with sea views from most, it’s idyllic for a family break. A first floor seaward facing glass balcony wraps around the villa. Open the French doors to the open plan living area, step outside and the view will take your breath away. This wonderful vista stretches across Carbis Bay and out to St Ives. Inside, a wall of windows frames this picture postcard scene and luxury “Amtico” oak flooring flows throughout an open plan living area, comprising of a kitchen, dining, and sitting area, which all benefit from the sea views. Relax on the L-shaped sofa watching the ever-changing colours of the ocean or enjoy entertainment courtesy of the stylish media wall with inset electric fire, perfect for a winter’s evening. Inset is a 65" Samsung Frame Smart TV, with Netflix, a full Sky package including Movies and Sport along with Sonos surround sound which can be used for the TV, Spotify connect or Airplay. A dining area, within the living area, comfortably seats eight around a large dining table. A modern designer kitchen with a centre island and granite worktops, is well-appointed with everything any chef could desire. All the bedrooms are on the ground floor. The master en-suite bedroom enjoys a luxurious king size bed and the second is fitted with twin beds, which can be made up as a super king on request. The third bedroom of Portside is fitted with a single 3ft bed. A ground floor terrace, accessed from the second bedroom, extends around the house to the side of the third bedroom. A wonderful spot to relax with a book. A first floor seaward facing glass fronted balcony with uninterrupted panoramic bay views is possibly the most stunning feature. Accessed from the open plan living area it is ideal for dining alfresco or to enjoy watching the sun set over St Ives. Outdoor furniture is provided for your comfort. If you can pull yourself away from Portside, it’s only a three minutes’ walk to the blue flag waters of Carbis Bay beach, with access to the SW coast path. This dramatic cliff side adventure takes you to St Ives, approx. 20 mins, in one direction and the golden sands of Gwithian in the other. Alternatively, hop on the scenic railway for a breath-taking coastal journey to St Ives and its surrounding area. After a holiday at Portside you will be asking, is one week enough?
The beachfront community of Carbis Bay, which is only a short drive from famous St. Ives, is well-known for its stunning stretch of fine, white sand. The beach feels almost subtropical with its turquoise seas and protected surroundings, making it the ideal location for a traditional day by the sea. If sunbathing is not really your thing, why not rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard (SUP) and venture out on the water instead? The Ocean Sports Centre is located on the beach. Or why not treat yourself to a spa day at the charming hotel that has a gorgeous patio where you can sip cocktails while enjoying the Cornish sunlight and views out onto the beach? Along with a takeout serving fish and chips and a railway branch line, Carbis Bay features a limited selection of neighbourhood stores and eateries. One of the most picturesque train rides in the nation takes passengers from Carbis Bay to St. Ives; St. Ives itself is a wonderful day trip destination with a variety of art galleries to see. There are family-friendly activities nearby, including golf and a wildlife sanctuary, in the quayside town of Hayle. Easily accessible from Carbis Bay, the Godrevy Nature Reserve and Penwith Heritage Coast offer even more opportunities for outdoor and watersports enthusiasts to engage in activities like coasteering and birdwatching. For anyone looking to explore Cornwall's stunning coastline, Carbis Bay is undoubtedly a fantastic vacation destination.
Accommodation
Reverse level.
Three ground-floor bedrooms: 1 x king-size with Smart TV and en-suite walk-in shower, basin and WC, 1 x twin with Smart TV (zip/ link , can be super-king-size on request), 1 x single with Freeview TV and DVD player.
Ground-floor bathroom with spa bath, shower over, basin, heated towel rail, and WC.
First-floor open-plan living space with kitchen, dining area and sitting area with electric fire and balcony
Gas central heating.
Siemens cooker, hob, microwave, American fridge/freezer with ice and water dispenser, washer/dryer, dishwasher, 'Bean to Cup' coffee machine.
3 x Smart TV with full Sky Q package, including Sky Sports HD, Sky Cinema, Kids and Netflix, TV with Freeview and DVD player, PS3 with selection of games, WiFi.
Fuel and power included in rent.
Bed linen and towels included in rent.
2 x cot and highchair provided; we request that guests provide their own cot bedding.
Off-road parking for 1 car.
7kw untethered EV Charger available at the property, this is paid for via the fuuse app which you can download prior to arrival or scanning a QR code located by the charger.
Seaward facing first floor balcony, seaward facing terrace with hot tub, outside furniture including table and chairs.
Sorry, no pets and no smoking.
Shop 0.4 miles, pub 0.8 miles, beach 0.1 miles.
Note: Check-in from 4pm, check-out by 10am
Nearby points of interest
- Porthminster Beach Café
- Anima-Mundi (Formerly Millennium)
- Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden
- Count House Café
- Geevor Tin Mine
- Jackson Foundation
- Porthcurno Telegraph Museum
- Minack Theatre
- Gwynver Beach
- Porthchapel Beach
Reviews (47)
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Elizabeth
The location is perfect, and the views are spectacular. A high end, quality finish to the property with everything we could need. Beautifully comfortable beds with luxurious bed linen. Wonderfully clean throughout. Spacious and tastefully decorated, it was a pleasure to stay here and would happily return. The house is located literally two minutes from the train station with regular (and cheap) trains to St Ives - but there is absolutely no noise disturbance whatsoever. The walk over the coast path is lovely too.
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Jennie
However upon arrival it was very evident that outside was extremely dirty . When we opened the French doors that led to the balcony ,the first thing that greeted us was clumps of wet grass all over the decking leading up to the hot tub ,the upvc door frames inside were absolutely filthy and so was the guttering (definitely hadnât been cleaned this year) so first thing we had to do was clean the whole decking area and wipe over the upvc. The hot tub had quite a bit of sand in ,so water definitely wasnât changed upon arrival ,probably topped up and chemicals added but listing states that water is changed after every guest so thatâs incorrect ,plus thereâs no way a hot tub would reach 38 degrees in a 6 hour window change!! 2nd bed base was broken upon arrival (which should have been picked up on changeover!) but once reported it was repaired within an hour -excellent service from Carbis Bay ! There was no light bulb in 3rd bedroom lamp (again should have been checked before our arrival ) Overall the Villa is lovely but the lack of cleanliness outside really let it down,when youâre paying premium prices you expect the standards to be the same,so unfortunately I wouldnât stay in this villa again for that reason. (I have the photos of the outside area if youâd like me to send them over !!)
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Alison
Poor maintenance and cleanliness in certain areas really let the property and our holiday down. The master bedroom had black mold by the windows. The downstairs outside area was very dirty. The table had all green mold all under the glass. This was unusable, the table and chairs on the balcony were filthy from being left outside and the sunbeds were rusty. There were problems with the jacuzzi, after 3 days, we noticed all this dirt and grime around the jacuzzi and dirt floating all on the top. It should have been maintained twice during our stay according to the handbook in the house. Contacted Sykes three times for help, was told the company had been to sort it. No one arrived, jacuzzi was unusable, tried to clean it myself. Made no difference, asked Sykes for help, said they would speak to owners re: compensation. Nothing was done, couldnât use it. This really upset everyone as this was a very special celebration for us all and cost me a lot of money for 1 week. Met the maintenance guy as we were leaving and he tried to say he jumped the fence to clean the jacuzzi during our stay. Well, what can you say to that? He was very rude and arrogant because he knew he had not done his job. I was angry and we all left to drive home gobsmacked by his response. Received an email to say owners werenât prepared to apologise or take any responsibility. Such a disappointing attitude. No care or attention to detail, its obviously about the fast turnover of guests in high season and customer care and satisfaction is not a priority. Very sad end to what should of been a fab time celebrating with my family.